Ethnobotany of Medicinal Plants Used by the Subanen Tribe of Lapuyan, Zamboanga Del Sur

Bulletin of Environment, Pharmacology and Life Sciences Bull. Env. Pharmacol. Life Sci., Vol 5 [5] April 2016: 53-67 ©Academy for Environment and Life Sciences, India Online ISSN 2277-1808 Journal’s URL:http://www.bepls.com CODEN: BEPLAD Global Impact Factor 0.533 Universal Impact Factor 0.9804 ORIGINAL ARTICLE OPEN ACCESS Ethnobotany of Medicinal Plants Used by the Subanen Tribe of Lapuyan, Zamboanga del Sur Jhoan Rhea L. Pizon1, Olga M. Nuñeza1, Mylene M. Uy2, WTPSK Senarath3 1-Department of Biological Sciences, Mindanao State University- Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT), Iligan City, 9200 Philippines. 2-Department of Chemistry, Mindanao State University- Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT), Iligan City, 9200 Philippines. 3-Department of Botany, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka. *Corresponding author’s email: [email protected] ABSTRACT Ethnobotanical documentation was conducted in the Municipality of Lapuyan, Zamboanga del Sur. This was done through informal interviews, walk-through interviews, and focus group discussions with seven selected healers of the Subanen tribe. There were 89 medicinal plant species documented belonging to 39 genera under 41 families. Leaves were the most frequently used plant part which were prepared through decoction and taken internally. Respiratory- related diseases are the most common ailments that the Subanen tribe encountered. It appears that there is a need to conserve the important medicinal plants especially those that are rarely encountered species. Moreover, further pharmacological tests need to be undertaken to prove the efficiency and potency of the plants as medicine. Keywords: conservation, decoction, efficiency, healers, pharmacological tests. Received 02.02.2016 Revised 14.02.2016 Accepted 10.03.2016 INTRODUCTION Medicinal plants have become a topic of global importance making an impact on both world health and international trade [1, 2]. Camacho et al. [3] reported that Filipinos of the olden times use herbal plants as treatment for different ailments long before the introduction of Western practice of healing. Popular knowledge of usage of plants by humans is said to be on thousand years of experience wherein people have recognized and utilize medicinal plants including magico-religious function through trial and error [4]. Traditional knowledge plays a vital role in the daily lives of people in many areas of the world [5]. It is the sum total of the knowledge, skills, and practices based on theories, beliefs, and experiences indigenous to different cultures, whether explicable or not, used in the maintenance of health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illness. Traditional medicine has been practiced since long ago throughout the world and is mostly influenced by superstitions, myths, religion, and herbalism [6]. In the Philippines, indigenous groups have depended on their traditional knowledge for them to survive in an ever changing world. Even before civilization, tribes in their respective areas have long used their indigenous knowledge about their environment and nature in dealing with their daily activities and source of living for survival [7]. Approximately, there are 110 indigenous communities in the Philippines and more than 170 ethnolinguistic groups in the country and among these are the Subanens [6]. The Subanen tribe is the major occupant of the town of Lapuyan and the culture and practices are well- preserved up to now through family lines or inheritance [6, 8]. The Subanen tribe calls the medicinal plants as “bulung” and they believe that these plants have spirits that should be valued and respected [9]. Rapid loss of plant biodiversity and genetic resources, traditional, and ethnobotanical knowledge are some of the problems encountered by the Subanen tribe. Knowledge on herbal plants is rapidly declining since young generations know less or nothing at all on the utilization and importance of the medicinal plants. These problems make it urgent that people learn as much as possible before old remedies are forgotten or plant sources are destroyed due to technology. Realizing the continuous erosion in the BEPLS Vol 5 [5] April 2016 53 | P a g e ©2016 AELS, INDIA Pizon et al knowledge of many important medicinal plants, there is then the need to review valuable information for the development of the medicinal plant sector. Ethnobotanical knowledge must be documented before it vanished forever [11]. Thus, the study was conducted to document the knowledge or information and the utilization of indigenous herbal plants used by the Subanen tribe in the Municipality of Lapuyan, Zamboanga del Sur. The findings of this study would provide a database for future research and potential resource for the development of plant-based drugs through isolation and characterization of bioactive phytochemicals present in the plants. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was conducted in the municipality of Lapuyan, Zamboanga del Sur (Figure 1). Lapuyan was selected because of the following criteria: presence of traditional healers; willingness and the capacity of the community to participate; most of the people living in the area are Subanen; and the use of medicinal plants in healing [6]. Prior to the conduct of the study, permits were obtained from the Mayor and Tribal Leaders. Figure 1. Map of the Municipality of Lapuyan, Zamboanga del Sur (https://maps.google.com.ph/, 2015). Several courtesy calls to municipality officials, school heads, purok leaders, known relatives and neighbors of healers were made to pinpoint the healers who are actively practicing traditional medicine. The survey followed the protocol of Elago et al. [6] with modifications. In-depth and walk-through interviews as well as focus group discussions were employed in the survey. The respondents were interviewed regarding the local names of medicinal plants that they are using, type of ailments, the plant parts used, method of preparation and application. These were followed by the validation of data. RESULTS Tables 1a nd 1b show a complete overview on the plants documented including the parts used, preparation and mode of application, and the medicinal uses. Table 1a. Medicinal Plants Used by the Subanen tribe of Lapuyan, Zamboanga del Sur. Plant Preparation Subanen Scientific Name English Name Tagalog Name Part/s and Medicinal Uses Name Used Application Annonaceae Friesodielsa latifolia (Hook Wash a small - - Mhemot balu Roots Prevents hypertension &Thomson) root and chew. Steeris Pound seven Anona muricata Young leaves and Soursop Guyabano Malabanos Tetanus L. leaves apply around the wound Apiaceae Decoction- Boil Whole plenty of jaong Centellia asiatica Gotu kola - Jaong jaong Diabetes plant jaong with enough water. BEPLS Vol 5 [5] April 2016 54 | P a g e ©2016 AELS, INDIA Pizon et al Drink 3x a day with or without meal. Stop when blood glucose decreases to normal level Apocynaceae Decoction- Boil enough roots Asclepias with ample Tropical milkweed - Gapas-apas Roots Amoebiasis curassavica (L.) amount of water. Drink as often as needed. Infusion- Scrape the outer layer 7x. Add 1/2 glass of water. Drink twice a day for 3 days. Decoction- Alstonia scholaris White cheese wood Dita Malogatas Trunk Scrape the High blood pressure (L.) outer layer 7x. Boil the scraped pieces with 3 glasses of water. Drink thrice a day for 3 days Juice-Pound enough roots and squeeze Voacanga Thepalak To abate bleeding of a fresh - - Roots and apply the megacarpa Merr. mebagal wound squeezed plant material on the wound Araceae Slice, pound, Alocasia and apply on macrorrhizos (L.) Elephant ear - Biga Rhizome Early stage of inflammation the affected G.Don part. Homalomena Slice into rubescens (Roxb.) - Alipayo Phayaw Stem pieces, pound, Cold Kunth and smell often. Araliaceae Decoction- Scrape stem 7x downward. Boil Osmoxylon - - Gulo-ulo Stem with enough Dysmenorrhea,Mennorhagia diversifolium water. Drink 1/2 glass thrice a day for 3 days. Arecaceae Cut stem, gather juice, and apply Shingles caused by Herpes Calamus sp. - - Dlebie Juice on the wound zoster often. Asparagaceae Cordyline Eat the leaf Tungkod- fruticosa (L.) A. Good luck plant Guilala Young leaf often until High blood pressure pare Chev. needed. Asteraceae Juice - Pound young leaves. Squeeze the Chromolaena Young Siam weed Hagunoy Gunoy juice and apply Fresh wound odorata (L.) leaves on the area. Repeat for 3 days. Bignoniaceae BEPLS Vol 5 [5] April 2016 55 | P a g e ©2016 AELS, INDIA Pizon et al - Pound enough Oroxylum indicum Indian Young leaves and add (L.) Benth. ex Trumpet Bnenloy leaves little amount of Body pain, fever Kurz flower water. Put on the head. Decoction- Boil enough size Phelebonaya with ample Diabetes, High blood pressure, Radermachera sp - - Trunk n amount of Cough water. Drink often. Cucurbitaceae Heat over low Momordica Bitter gourd Ampalaya Palya Fruit fire. Eat as Diabetes charantia L. needed. Heat enough leaves until Luffa acutangula Sponge gourd Patola Tikwa Leaves burnt. Apply Early stage of inflammation Roxb. and change when dry. Dilleneaceae Decoction- Boil seven leaves Dillenia with 1 1/2 glass Elephant philippinensis Katmon Dlhembog Leaves of water. Once Diarrhea and vomiting apple Rolfe lukewarm, drink a half glass once Euphorbiaceae Scrape the trunk thrice or seven times and Melanolepsis apply the multiglandulosa - Alim Ghalem Trunk Itchiness scraped plant Rchb. & Zoll. material into the affected area. Decoction- Boil with 3 glasses Euphorbia hirta Cat's hair , Whole of water until 1 Tawa-tawa Tematik Recurring fever L. Asthma plant plant glass is left. Drink once or twice a day. Euphorbia hirta Cat's hair , Tawa-tawa Tematik Juice Apply often Cracked heels L. Asthma plant Use a thin Breynia cernva section of the - - Thetulog Stem Toothache prevention (Poir.) Mull. Arg. stem as a toothpick Pound handful of leaves. Breynia cernva - - Thetulog Squeeze the Open wound (Poir.) Mull. Arg. juice on the affected area. Juice and Poultice- Collect enough juice/ sap from the Physic nut Tubang- stem using a Toothache, Jatropha curcas L. tree bakod Tuba-tuba Leaves cotton and put Diarrhea and vomiting, Ulcer, on the hole of Spasm the affected tooth or gum.

Load more